Railway-tie fastener and brace.



G. D. LOEHR. RAILWAY TIE PASTENER AND BRACE- APPLICATION 111.1111 MAR. 29, 1910.

990,890 Patented May 2, 1911.

T\T I I /2 11% I l l W @1 if n I Q 5 5a WITNESSES." j M'VE/VTUH.

/5 (Varmrafljaefir HEM 7 momver S CLARENCE D. LOEHR, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

RAILWAY-TIE FASTENER AND BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 19.11.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE D. LonrrR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of \Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Tie Fasteners and Braces, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide inexpensively constructed and eflicient devices for securing track-rails to metal ties and which will support the rails against lateral displacement or tilting.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation and combination of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, showing an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is an end view of a track-tie, with a rail secured thereon. Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a locking member employed in the de vice; and Fig. 5 is a similar View of a key for securing such locking member in place.

The reference numeral 10 designates a track-rail which is supported upon a series of spaced metallic ties. Each of these ties is desirably of an I-beam form, that is to say, with a vertical web 11 having laterally extending flanges 12 and 13 along the top and bottom edges, respectively.

Upon opposite sides of a track-rail and adjustable upon a tie, are clamps 1 1 for securing the rail to the tie. Each of these clamps comprises a metal hollow body or sleeve 15 which is adapted to accommodate the tie flanges 12 between a superposed portion thereof and inwardly directed wings 17 which extend below said flanges to terminate in pendent plates 18 adapted to fit against the tie-web 11. Projecting longitudinally and upwardly from the end of said sleeve is an extension 19 of a substan tially U-shape in horizontal section and having its edges formed to bear against the rail web 20 and interfit between a base'flange 21 of the rail and the rail head 22 at the bottom 23 and top 24, respectively, of such extension. The clamps are connected with a tie by engaging their sleeve-portions over the flanges at an end of the tie and then sliding them endwise of the tie into position to receive the rail therebetween. hen the rail is properly alined, the clamps are moved into juxtaposition with the rail and are severally secured by wedge-shaped locking members 25 driven through slot 26 provided in the tie-web 11 to act against the outer edges 27 of the respective clamp plates 18. To prevent the withdrawal of said looking members, a tapering key 28 is provided for each. Said key is introduced through an aperture therefor in the tie flange 12 and engages at one edge with the outer end of a slot 29 provided in the wedge 25, while its other edge bears against the adjacent face of the tie web. Advantageously, the key is bifurcated at its pointed end so that the branches 30 thereof may be clenched against the wedge or oppositely bent, as

shown in Fig. 2.

81 is a reinforcement piece, as an angle bar, which may be secured to the underside of a tie and preferably below the rail.

In operation, the rail is supported by the abutting edges of the extension 19 of companion clamping members which are coupled by their sleeve portions 15 with the upper flanges 12 of the tie. Under such conditions, it is obvious that there is no other fastening required and that the sole duty of the locking members 25 is to adjnstably retain the rail clamping members in operative position. The functions of the plates 18 are first to add strength and stiffness to the wing portions 17 of the clamp sleeves to prevent the wings being bent downwardly when under strain and, secondly, to afford abutments to receive the securing or look wedges 25.

What I claim as my invention, is

The combination with a track-rail and a tie having an I-beam form, of rail clamping devices slidably mounted upon the tie, said devices comprising a sleeve engaging vices in operative position, and a key for the upper flanges of the tie and pendent I securing the Wedge.

plates which engage the tie-web therebetween, said sleeve being also provided with an extension projecting therefrom for engaging the base-flange of the rail from above and the rail head from below, a-Wedge extending through a slot in the tie Web for setting up and locking said clamping de- 1910, in presence of tWo Witnesses.

CLARENCE D. LOEHR. \Nitnesses PIERRE BARNES, Eorri-r PETERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G.

' 10 Signed at Seattle, this 10th day of Feb, 

